Ben Smith

1 day ago | thewest.com.au | Ben Smith

Socceroos midfielder Connor Metcalfe is ready to run the full gamut of gamesmanship from Saudi Arabia and weather the elements as their rivals look to thwart Australia’s World Cup qualification hopes. Only a five-goal thrashing by Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Wednesday morning Perth-time would see Australia denied direct qualification to the 2026 event in North America.

2 days ago | thewest.com.au | Ben Smith

Aziz Behich’s dramatic, late strike against Japan is the latest in a series of incredible Socceroos moments which have put them on the path to the World Cup. After 32 years of hurt, the Socceroos’ ‘golden generation’ broke through against Uruguay to seal a first World Cup berth since 1974. Four years on from a 3-1 aggregate loss to Uruguay, Australia exacted sweet revenge, with Mark Bresciano sending the two-legged tie into extra tie, and then onto penalties.

2 days ago | thewest.com.au | Ben Smith

As Aziz Behich’s curled effort swung into the net and the Optus Stadium crowd erupted into a frenzy of noise and mess of limbs, Tony Popovic sunk to his knees and let his emotions take over. Normally the cool, calm and composed type, all Popovic could do was release a primal scream of joy into the atmosphere before he was mobbed by his assistants.

2 days ago | thewest.com.au | Ben Smith

Australia might simply need to avoid a thrashing in Jeddah to secure World Cup qualification — but in the minds of Brandon Borrello and his Socceroos teammates, they are going to Saudi Arabia to win. The relief of Aziz Behich’s late winner against Japan to put Australia within a whisker of a sixth-straight FIFA World Cup has subsided, even if the glow is yet to. But it has already been replaced within the Socceroos’ camp by a laser-focus on Wednesday morning’s (WST) against the Saudis.

2 days ago | thewest.com.au | Ben Smith